1. Field of the Disclosure
The present application generally relates to automotive electronics and, more specifically, to systems and methods for using a powerline communication (PLC) channel in an automotive network to synchronize network nodes such as sensors and actuators distributed over an automobile.
2. Description of Related Art
Vehicles or automobiles are now increasingly equipped with environmental perception sensors (e.g., radar, lidar, and cameras) for various uses such as in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and automated driver systems. These sensors may be used to sense or detect the world around the vehicle and provide inputs for algorithms, which may detect pedestrians, other vehicles, and roadway obstacles. For example, an adaptive cruise control system on a vehicle may use a lidar device mounted on the front of the vehicle (e.g., the bumper) to monitor a distance between the vehicle and another vehicle in front. When the vehicle in front suddenly slows down, the lidar may detect that the distance is getting too close and may immediately trigger an autonomous cruise control (ACC) system to apply the brakes to slow down the vehicle. As vehicles today are often equipped with multiple sensors, it may be useful to combine data from several sensors to create robust detection systems that work under varying conditions (e.g., different speeds, weather, and road conditions).